


She Who Survived

by lilolilyrae



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternative Universe - Luna is the girl who lived, Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Gen, Girl-Who-Lived (Harry Potter), Manipulative Albus Dumbledore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2020-12-26 23:43:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21109139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilolilyrae/pseuds/lilolilyrae
Summary: What if, instead of either Harry or Neville, the prophecy was about Luna?





	1. 1992

**Author's Note:**

> 2019-10-20  
Originally posted on my [tumblr](https://lilolilyr.tumblr.com/post/188474322605)
> 
> 2019-10-21  
First year is done! If you've read the beginning already just start reading at the line (although I did add some stuff to the first part as well, so you might as well read the entire thing xD)

What if, instead of either Harry or Neville, the prophecy was about _Luna_?

A pureblood, the way Voldemort had always wished to be, albeit not one of the sacred twenty-eight- he was still looking for that connection between them, the way both of them were, somehow, seen as less than others. And he chose a girl, who would become a woman, because Tom Riddle had found out about his namesake father being a muggle and he had never been able to forgive him for that fact.

Sybill Trelawley's prophecy would be about a girl, born the first winter of '81. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy in more ways than one.

Being informed of the danger to their family by no lesser man than Albus Dumbledore himself, the Lovegood Family went into hiding. He offered to be their secret keeper, but the Lovegoods chose to simply not tell anyone at all about their location.

Lord Voldemort found them anyway.

Pandora Lovegood, fierce in her experiments as well as her feelings, stood in front of Luna, giving her life in exchange for her daughter.

Xenophilius, always a little different in his way of thinking, had been trying to collect wackspurts as a secret defence against the death-eaters at the time. Once he got home, it was too late for any defence. 

Luna Lovegood still grew up with her father and in the same house she lived in in either story- not many differences here, except this time, she wouldn't see the thestrals at Hogwarts. You can't fully understand the death of a parent when it happened before you were able to speak your own name... (She still fiercely believed in the creatures, of course).

What was different, too, was the way she was known in the world- the girl who lived, who conquered the dark lord- She Who Survived.

Luna grew up with magic- for her, Albus Dumbledore had no convenient excuse to send her away until Hogwarts. Her protection lay with her own father, and Xenophilius didn't understand why it could possibly be better for Luna to grow uo away from it all. Knowledge is power, after all, and to be pursued as soon as possible.

Luna's first impressions of the wizarding world wasn't Hogwarts, or anyone of Dumbledore's associates. Luna didn't admire the man or put him up on a pedestal for saving her from anything. She even saw through him when he played his games with other people- and she would never be one of his pawns.

Despite growing up in the wizarding world, knowing who she was at the age of three, learning what she had managed to do less than two years prior- she was still never full of herself, or believed herself to be better.

Maybe it was because people still looked at her funny, because when they got to know her, many pureblood parents- and not just the ones in support of voldemort- would drag away their children, because no matter what she was, that girl was just weird. Yes, the Quibbler got a lot more attention in this world, but it still printed the same articles, and it got made fun of a lot more, too. "Loony Lovegood- behind the girl who survived" Rita Skeeter printed in the Prophet, rather sooner than later. Luna always knew she was different, but not whether that was good or bad.

Perhaps, however, she would have stayed down-to-earth either way- as much as any version of Luna can be, with her head in the clouds- even without the bullies and naysayers: she was intelligent, and gentle, and wouldn't want the glory. She loved what she had left of her family and she loved the world with all the mysteries and creatures in it, and she would never see anyone do something to jeopardise this.

She Who Survived had a scar on her neck, just underneath her left ear. The killing curse works, no matter where it hits- except on her, it hadn't worked at all.

Luna figured out the movement needed for Avada Kedavra at age eleven in charms class, when Professor Flitwick's squeaky voice explained all about the importance of magical theory behind the spells. Absent-mindedly, the girl touched the scar hidden behind her long, dirty blonde hair, and she didn't try the spell they were supposed to study at all. There were much more interesting things to contemplate than what they were learning in class.

At this point, Luna Lovegood had already known that she was a Horcrux- albeit missing the word for it- for two years at that point. She didn't know how to get rid of it yet, except to die- but Luna Lovegood was a Ravenclaw, and when she really wanted to know something- solve a Riddle- she would.

* * *

Ravenclaw house was supposed to be intelligent, accepting all possibilities and all people, too- but Luna found most of her year mates to just be mean, and the ones that didn't bully her were too caught up in their own problems and daydreams to help her. 

Yes, people still bullied her, even now that She was the famous one who Survived- she was still weird, still _Loony, _and what else were they going to do, make sure the teacher's didn't catch them while throwing her shoes up the rafters _more_? 

When the philosopher's stone was brought to Hogwarts from Gringotts, Luna wasn't there with Hagrid, as she had already been there weeks ago with her own father- and neither was second-year Harry, who got his allowance from his parents like any child should. 

No-one noticed the small package Hagrid carried, _official-Hogwarts-business_, into the headmaster's office.

Maybe, in some version of the story, no-one went after Voldemort at all, and, unable to get the stone out of the mirror, he simply disappeared into the night.

Perhaps, in yet another universe, the start of a certain course of events wasn't bound to the chosen one attending Hogwarts, and it all happened the year before Luna got into Hogwarts.

In this story, however, we are looking at it from another angle. An angle where a curious first-year Ravenclaw tries to see things other people don't, tries to find not just her own shoes again but all the hidden things and secrets in the castle. She notices the smell in Quirrel's turban, the way her neck aches when he turns his back on her. And she feels _watched_, which can't be, because no-one has eyes on the back of their neck- except...?

On one of her expeditions through the castle, she finds the third floor corridor Dumbledore talked about during the welcome fiest- in bright daylight, as she doesn't want to lose house-points and make her classmates mad at her in addition to creeped out- not that she cares, in general, but she understands that life isn't any easier with enemies. She doesn't have an invisibility cloak, she is simply good at looking as if she knows what she is doing, not appearing suspicious even in the most suspicious places. 

Neither, by the way, does Harry have the cloak, not this year. Lily knows what her husband and his friends got up to with that thing, and doesn't want it to corrupt her son. In the end, they compromised- he could use the Marauder's map, if he could get his hands on it (the twins already had it, anyway), but the cloak stays with James, for now. Perhaps, after the danger in what now is Harry's second year, he will get it for third year, though...?

But this is a story about Luna. Because most stories center around the most interesting person in it, the one who goes on the adventures (or has the adventures happen to them). And who would that be in this world, if not She Who Survived?

Now, Luna remembers Dumbledore's words from the welcome fest, and no she doesn't want to die a gruesome death. But maybe she still wants to just have a look- or maybe she is following a little invisible creature around, and doesn't even know where she is exactly when she finds a funny, old locked door... 

She looks inside, sees a cerberus, but more importantly she sees a trapdoor. Where might it lead to? By now, she remembered what corridor this is. And she smells garlic, way too far away from the kitchen...

Yes, Luna already knows who she will meet down there, once she follows, alone. She talks to Professor Filius Flitwick, who nearly faints at the thought of going anywhere near that beast. She tells Helena Ravenclaw (the grey lady, whom Luna befriended in her first weeks in the castle), who tells Sir Nicholas, because she doesn't want the company of anyone alive and talking to her fellow ghosts is hard enough, and the nearly headless Nick goes to Dumbledore and, when the headmaster turns out to be away, McGonnagall.

By then, Luna has made it past Fluffy while the harp still played, fell through the devil's snare without a second thought, picked the lock of the next door the muggle way, crawled over the stone rafters instead of setting foot on the chess board and, of course, had no problem with the last riddle at all.

Now, the meeting with Quirrel could go one of two ways, and it all depends on just how, exactly, her mother gave her life for her. Although the fact that we established- Luna has the scar of the killing curse on her- already leads us in the right direction. 

Still, lets play through the other option, first.

Yes, her mother still dies to protect her. It was not pure love that saved Luna, however- this story went differently, albeit with a similar outcome.

In any world where Lily Potter had never been in danger, Severus Snape never betrayed the death-eaters. He doesn't care about the Lovegoods, Voldemort had no reason to tell Pandora to '_step aside, you silly girl_-' and therefore, Pandora never voluntarily faced death. She would have died either way. However, she can still try to save her daughter- Voldemort underestimates her, and she can get in what would be a fatal blow, whether through her wand or one of the half-finished experiments in the room.

Pandora Lovegood killed Voldemort- tried to, at least, his soul splintering in seven directions, pulled apart by his different horcruxes, with the leftover part clinging to the sole survivor in the room.

And while Pandora managed to shield Luna from the blow, she did not have enough energy to save herself, too, so the explosion took her with it.

In this version, Luna would not be protected by The Magic Of Love- she can't touch Quirrel and destroy him. On the other hand- would she think that she had any such powers in any version of this story? No. She doesn't expect to be able to defeat him. Instead, she stalls for time. When asked to look into the mirror, she doesn't want the stone right now, whether to use or not because if she got the stone right now, Voldemort would take it (and at is still in question whether she could even get it out of the mirror at any time, because getting a taste of immortality, _just to see what it would be like_, seems like something too strong for her curious nature to resist).

So the mirror shows Luna her 'normal' greatest desire: everyone alive including her mother, no war going on, no-one bothering her as she pursues her passion of knowledge. 

Maybe she gets Voldemort to talk, too- has an entire conversation with him before finally, McGonnagall and Dumbledore and a very perturbed Flitwick in tow come running through the flames. Facing those opponents, Voldemort leaves Quirrel's body- and instead of a death, a prisoner is made. Luna is standing by the mirror, watching the entire scene with muted interest.

Now, enough of the what-ifs, because in this story, Luna survived the killing curse. That fateful Halloween, her mother wasn't already in front of her- standing in a different room, by one of her experiments. No doubt Voldemort would have tried to kill her later, too- but for now, he aims at the child, and Pandora jumps in front of the curse. From that moment on, Luna is protected by her mother's Love, and Voldemort's next Avada Kedavra backfires.

After that, Luna's skin burns Quirrel. What if she got to touch him, through whatever circumstances- perhaps she wanted to see what happens, already knowing about the horcrux in herself- not knowing that one has nothing much to do with the other. Does she weaponise it? Is she forced to, as now Quirrel raises his wand? 

In this world, Luna would wake up in the infirmary, asking Dumbledore what exactly had happened, getting an answer just as cryptic as Harry would, in a different universe. But Luna, other than Harry, doesn't trust the old man- not one bit.

Would Dumbledore still try to change the results of the house cup at the last minute? She isn't in his own house, after all. What is more important to him- house pride, or grooming her into someone who sees him as positive? 

Maybe it is an easy choice. Gryffindor still in last place, Slytherin in first. How many point does She Who Survived get for slaying Voldemort a second time?

Luna sees right through him, of course. And she doesn't like the sudden rise of attention she is getting at all. 

What does Luna think in those moments? Is it '_hopefully I will be able to actually learn something in my second year here'_? But no, that sounds more like something Hermione would say. Luna, after all, knows she learned a lot of things this year- whether her grades show it or not.

No, I believe what Luna thinks is more along the lines of 'See, mom? I'm having adventures of my own now!'.

And she would smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! <strike>Maybe I'll continue it at some point :)</strike> next part's up! Do still leave all the comments tho, those always make my day :)


	2. 1993

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luna's second year at Hogwarts :)

During Luna's second year in Hogwarts, a basilisk was on the lose in the castle.

Lucius Malfoy had heard about the event of the year before, about his master being well on his way to come back to life. He wouldn't go looking for him, no- not when he didn't have proof, not when his life was good the way it was at that moment. But he would show the Dark Lord that he hadn't forgotten him. Do him a favor, rid Hogwarts of the people both the Dark Lord and himself believed should not be allowed there. Just in case.

The diary was slipped into Ginny Weasley's book bag in Flourish And Blotts, in-between books of Gilderoy Lockhart. Yes, the man was DADA teacher in Luna's second year now, instead of first- he was simply the next in the row of teachers Dumbledore had for the job. Who had taught in Harry's first year? Someone else entirely, amongst the many nameless teachers only there for a year. The only difference with Lockhart, now, was that his autobiography 'Magical Me' had already been out for a year, and he had written and published two more books in the year since- filled with more action than anyone could have possibly lived through in a measly twelve months. But most of the public wanted to stay blind to such little flaws in the narrative.

Ginny was always in Luna's year in Hogwarts, and they would have always become friends, sooner or later. But in another world, Ginny would have been eleven years old and terrified when dealing with Tom Riddle's diary, and little Luna Lovegood too caught up in all the new things to see around the castle to really focus on the people around her.

Neither of them is a first year now.

When Ginny notices that she is missing time, she starts writing a neat schedule on a piece of parchment to try and find out what the reason of this is, the way she saw Hermione make a schedule for Parvati last year, when the girl had an allergy and didn't know what it was.

Gryffindor and Ravenclaw second-years have transfiguration together, and when Luna notices the usually smiling redhead look subdued, frowning and barely managing the easiest of exercises, it arouses her suspicion and curiosity. Something is different here than it was before, and she had always been good at noticing that.

In this universe, Luna Lovegood is a parselmouth, and Harry Potter is not.  
Many things are different about and for Harry Potter in this world compared to others.  
Remember that this is Luna's second year- it is also Harry's third. No dementors are surrounding the castle. No prisoner escaped from Azkaban. Ron Weasley doesn't own any pets. Sirius Black is safely at home, and Peter Pettigrew is taking on gardening this summer, and the marauders still meet up for pranks and holidays, full-moon runs through the wilderness and human weekend barbecues. You might be mad at this, that he got away- but he didn't do anything, now, did he? Maybe he knows, deep down, what he could have been. Maybe he never had to think about it at all. Our experiences shape who we are, not just our DNA. Who says we aren't all murderers, in some far-away distant universe? Would that change who we are here and now?  
Doesn't really matter, Luna might say, as life is for the living, and the living- that's whoever is here.

Luna Lovegood is a parselmouth, and she heard the harsh whispers in the walls, the hissing about blood and death. She knows it is spoken in parsel, of course, knows it must be some sort of snake- she learned that she was a parselmouth when she was three (her father was delighted by the news) and she recognises the language. 

When Luna hears the pipes whisper evil things to her in second year, she went to investigate. She didn't tell anyone about it- there wasn't really anyone around who she could have told. Teachers, of course, but teachers don't always believe students, and Luna figured that like any good scientist she should find some proof or at least a good hypothesis first before going public (Yes, the quibbler did that with every creature they found. It wasn't their fault that the public still wasn't ready yet).

Once she notices Ginny Weasley, however, she does have someone to talk to. And Ginny feels the same- Luna is known to _believe_ things, and while quite often ridiculed for believing the unbelievable, Ginny now is glad that she doesn't have to fear being brushed off or told to just sleep more.

Luna compares the list of timeslots Ginny made with when she remembers to have heard the snake in the walls. It matches almost perfectly. Then, she asks Ginny the most important question: is there anything new, anything special, extraordinary, _magical_ in her life? Ginny remembers the diary, and she curses loudly, suddenly feeling so _stupid_. Why did she trust such a thing in the first place? Luna consoles her, telling her that even the greatest minds made silly mistakes. 'And at least this one didn't cost any lives!' she adds, cheerily. 'Yet' Ginny grumbles.

They decide not to open the diary again. They can't risk whatever is in there taking over their minds completely. At least, that's what Luna tells Ginny- after studying all she could find about horcruxes for years now, she recognises another one instantly. 

They don't want to go to the teachers, either- they have no proof for their hypothesis, and it is too dangerous for the artefact to fall into the wrong hands (and Ginny wants to make this right herself, pay back the debt she feels lay in her stupid actions. _Gryffindor heroics_... Luna thinks, mentally shaking her head. But it works well with her own plans, so she doesn't say anything).

Listening around, they soon hear about the chamber of secrets. Hermione had asked in history class, and Hermione had told Harry and Ron, and Ron, begrudgingly, told Ginny. She tried not to look too excited at the news.

'The chamber of secrets? That had been opened about fifty years ago!' Luna smiles dreamily. 'I know just who to ask about this...'

'Who? I thought we didn't want to ask the professors, and our parents weren't even in Hogwarts yet fifty years ago!'

Well, you see, when it comes to information, Luna isn't prejudiced against the dead. They might not have physical brains, but their memories seem to work well enough, right?She knows almost all the ghosts and portraits in the castle and she knows of one ghost who lived in these halls fifty years ago.

Talking to Myrtle is a success. Turns out, not only did the girl live then, she was killed by a creature in the castle, too! That must be it, Luna thinks, and parsel opens the hidden door to the chamber.

Before they go down, Luna remembers something else.

The horcrux.

How to destroy horcruxes...

The beast in the chamber.

Of course! If anyone would have a Basilisk in his secret chamber, it would be Salazar Slytherin. It's certainly one of the only beasts to have survived so long...

'Could you get the diary?' Luna asks Ginny. 'I'll wait.' 

'Okay but- why?' 

'It wanted to open the chamber, now we're here... Maybe there will be something to destroy it, too! All ends in a circle...' 

It isn't, technically, a lie.

There is no Tom Riddle present to call the Basilisk first.

Luna does it, and while the serpent seems reluctant, it still answers.

'We got you something' Luna says, smiling, in parsel. 'Catch!' 

Basilisk teeth sink into a diary covered in chicken blood.

'What isss thisss' the serpent hisses, disgusted, as different, black blood springs free, unseen by Luna and Ginny- the latter hiding behind a column, the former still with closed eyes.

With a dull thump, the head of the serpent lands on the floor.

Luna looks up, only looking at the water at first, but the Basilisk's eyes are closed. Dead.

'Oh', Luna mumbles, subdued, 'I didn't want that... I didn't know that would happen'

'Are you crazy? It would have eaten us otherwise, once it had noticed the book isn't really food!' Ginny hisses, adrenaline still running through her veins. 

While Ginny goes to check whether the diary, fallen to the ground next to the beast, is truly destroyed, Luna covertly takes a Basilisk fang for herself. Just in case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I know I think I switched tenses a few times in this, I'll try to fix it soon
> 
> If you made it this far, be so kind and leave a comment to let me know :) I might write more in this universe!


	3. 1994

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2019-10-25  
I didn't include it in the last chapter, but after defeating diary and Basilisk, Luna didn't hand the diary to Dumbledore like Harry would have. Maybe Ginny would have suggested it, but Luna would have replied something along the lines of 'Who'd believe us, anyway? No-one got permanently injured, and they said the school would close down if the attacks didn't stop- now they will, so...'
> 
> And yes I noticed that Dobby isn't really in the last chapter either! I might edit it to include him at some point.
> 
> For now, have her adventures to her third year :)
> 
> 2019-10-27  
Update! Start reading at the line :)
> 
> 2019-12-03  
Geez it's been a month! Sorry! Triwizard tournament update :) if you've read the rest already just scroll back up to the newest line!
> 
> 2019-12-04  
Third task! Chapter finally over!

Some things are unaffected by the identity and age of the Chosen One.

In 1994, the Triwizard Tournament comes to Hogwarts.

That same year, one Barty Crouch Junior escapes from his father's mental grip and impersonates Alastor 'Mad-eye' Moody in the hopes of catching The Girl Who Survived and, finally, bringing his master back to life.

Luna doesn't yet know these things when she comes back to Hogwarts. She spent a pleasant summer looking for splittering wundingers with her father, exchanging owls with her new friend Ginny- a _friend_!- and painting her room with the events of the past year. The basilik- it sure wasn't an evil creature, everyone needs to eat and so what if witches and wizards are the big serpent's natural prey- is slithering around the doorway in magnificent green, looking almost like a protecting spirit of Luna's very own chamber. Then, she painted herself and Ginny on the ceiling over her bed- far away from the basilisk. She thinks Ginny would appreciate this.

Now, Luna is still quite happy to go back to school.  
The new defence teacher seems a bit... _curious_ when she sees him at the fiest, but she doesn't think much of it. Most people seem to be a little funny to her.

In the first defence lesson, the unforgiveable curses are taught. While Luna thinks Nobody's methods might not be the best for young students- some of them seem properly traumatised- she can't deny the power of Knowledge.

Then, he casts imperius on them- on her.

She barely notices it. Had he not told her in advance, (had she not actually _listened_,) she would have never know.

Luna, you must know, is used to the voices in her head. She has had them, telling her to do the silliest things, since she can remember (she doesn't know that muggles would come to call these intrusive thoughts, or by what they could be caused. It didn't even occur to her that this isn't normal).

_Jump on the desk_\- why would she? She doesn't let herself drop from the rafters after retrieving her stolen shoes from there either, just because she could and an inner voice tells her so, or injure someone else, or let the kitchen knife hit her skin... The only times she really listens to the voices is when what the suggest sound actually /fun/, and the only reason not to do them would be social norms. And hey, on second thought- jumping on the table _would _be quite fun, wouldn't it? Her leg twitches. She knows, of course, that this is the voice of the imperius curse, not her own inner demons. But then again, Moody doesn't really expect her to be able to resist anyway, right? So, she's got nothing to lose.

She jumps.

(She's still the one who managed to fight it the longest in the entire class).

* * *

Luna had never been particularly interested in the Triwizard Tournament. Sure, she would enjoy watching it, cheering for her school and trying to find out more about places she never visited from the Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students, but she, much like Harry, would never have tried to muggle in her own name.

In this Universe, however, Luna Lovegood is a Triwizard Champion. Not that it's still Tri-wizard, really, when there are more than three people playing, she muses while procrastinating any real thoughts about the problems she might be facing now... and problems are certainly there- 'Always attention-seeking girl who lived', people whisper in the hallways. 'Of course for _her _there'd be an exception to the rules!', jealous sixth year students grumble, only just turning seventeen after the tournament starts. _Loony Loony Lovegood - Cedric is the Real Hogwarts Champion!_ bright badges proclaim. 'Oh, _will_ you take that off!' Ginny Weasley hisses at her dorm mate Mattie Hawthe as the girl sits down opposite her on the dinner table, and Mattie hastily complies, afraid the youngest Weasley might rip it off and ruin her pretty new robes otherwise. Meanwhile, Ginny faces the rest of the Gryffindors- 'Anyone else got a problem with Luna?!'

Because yes, in this world little third-year Luna Lovegood's name ended up in the Goblet of Fire- but in this world, she also already has a friend.

Maybe this is how she meets Harry, too- while in no way raised in a cupboard under some stairs, perhaps even raised in a way that you could call _spoiled_, Lily Potter's son would never be a bully. And neither would James'- he'd grown up, after all, and understood how bad it was to hurt someone that way, understood that before Lily would even go out with him, much less marry him.

So yes, when Harry see a "Lovegood Stinks" badge in the Gryffindor common room, he remembers his mother's words and _hexes _the person wearing it- maybe not exactly what she meant, but he's still his father's son, has Sirius Black as a godfather and is all in all an impulsive Gryffindor, after all. At that, Fred and George chime in, saying they see everyone wearing such a badge as a sign of volunteering to try out their newest joke supplies! After that, the Gryffindor Tower stays blessedly anti-Luna merch free.

Now you're saying- but they haven't even met, now have they? But of course, Ginny was there in the common room too, and when Luna needs help with the second task, she will remember who is on her side, and ask for help, dragging a still-smiling and not very worried Luna behind her. Ginny can't risk loosing her best and only female friend- maybe best friend, period- just because she doesn't know when to stop dreaming.

But we will come to that. For now, the Tournament has yet to even start...

* * *

Luna's name comes out of the goblet of fire.

She is a little confused- she knows she didn't put it in there. Even though she is often daydreaming, and the snargaluffs might have distracted her thoughts from the task at hand, she certainly never lost time before... 

Her thoughts rush to the Diary, then. Has something similar happened here? Or is something else at work entirely? 

(Well, while no-one forced her to put her name in herself, in the end Voldemort is behind it all, either way.)

When asked by the professors whether she put her name in, she honestly says she can't know that for certain, but she doesn't _think_ she did... The answer only confuses Crouch and Karkaroff even more, but Dumbledore smiles at her, believing her innocence. And the others- Fleur, Victor, Cedric, Maxime and later many more- aren't quick to think her quilty, either.

Where in another universe Harry at fourteen had been awkward and too in shock to defend himself, Luna is only thirteen now and a tiny little girl with bright eyes that are constantly just a little unfocused.

No-one is accusing her of anything- at least not the adults, and not openly.

Her fellow students are a different matter- where Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry and blood prejudice lead to Harry and Draco's hatred of one another, in this universe, Ravenclaw house turns on one of their own.

_Annoying_ Luna with her questions that stop professors from moving on to more interesting topics. Know-it-all Lovegood making everyone else seem bad, how does she even remember things when she's always dreaming, anyway? _Weird_ Loony Lovegood still believing in things not even first-years should believe in, making Ravenclaw house seem bad, it's because of her that people see the other eagles as not just bookish nerds but weirdos, too! And now she is supposed to represent the entire school?! It should have just been Cedric- the real Hogwarts Champion!

Luna barely notices the animosity towards her.

She found out about the first task- dragons! Oh, what a wonderful opportunity to study such interesting creatures! Her daddy would be so happy for her! And her mother, too, if she were still alive- and who knows whether she isn't still watching?

Well, she knows enough about dragons to easily find out their favourite food, preparing and shrinking the meat before bottling it, and then practicing disillusionment charms that not only cover sight but heat and smell, too, with the assistance of Ginny. 

"That beast won't stand a chance!" Ginny exclaims in delight. Luna just smiles, dreamily looking out of the window. 

The day before the task, Professor Moody drags her into his office, asking her whether she knows what she is doing.

She isn't sure whether her answer about the philosophy about knowledge was all that satisfying to him.

Stealing an egg from a dragon mother seems a bit cruel to Luna, but oh well- at least it isn't a real one.

The dragon she draws is probably the easiest, distracting it and stealing the egg not a problem- despite Luna's thoughts wandering back to the bag of dragon miniatures. They had been adamant about her being last, and when it was her turn, the think was almost stuck at the bottom...

Yes, you guessed correctly: Crouch Junior, not so sure the girl had much of a plan, tried to ensure her success by helping along a little. A compulsory charm here, a sticking spell there... He didn't even have to go for unforgivables (yet).

The second task is easy, too- Luna knows the screeching as mer-people language and takes the egg into the lake with her. When Ginny finds out about it later she almost hits her friend about the stupidity. It's freezing in the lake! There has to be a warm bath somewhere in the castle! Luna just tells her that for the task, she'll have to go back, anyway.

So, she doesn't need Diggory's help, not that she is getting it, anyway- Cedric got quite badly burned during the first task, being the only one left in the dark about the dragons. Not that Luna is evil, or even particularly wishes to win. It just never occurred to her to tell him about it- Harry's Gryffindor sense of fairness is lost to her, and Ginny wants her friend to win too badly to offer anyone else help. 

Standing bare-feet and dripping lake water onto the hallway floor, egg under one arm, she then asks Ginny for help about the cold in the lake- and about breathing, right, humans don't have gills, I forgot for a second- sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out. It will be fine! 

At that, Ginny drags her friend into the Gryffindor tower, house rules be damned. (are there even any about students of other houses visiting each other in their common rooms? Unspoken, sure, but written too?)

Soon, Hermione dried Luna, Harry offers her some socks with almost no holes in them, and both the Weasley twins and Neville overhear the problem at hand. Together, Gillyweed is stolen and turned into the first of many Weezys two-sided sweets: one to give you gills, lasting up to five hours, and one to remove them should it be necessary before that time! Because really, even though the challenge itself is an hour long, who knows whether Luna doesn't get distracted and decides to stay with the merpeople for a chat, or something. 

For Luna, it isn't a question who would wait for her in the debth of the lake- Ginny is not only her best, but her only friend.

Well, that might not be true. But she is the only one Luna feels comfortable calling a friend- with others, she can never tell whether they see her as a friend, too, or just a friendly acquaintance, or someone who's fame they want to exploit.

She swims through the lake, smiles at the merpeople, briefly lets the Grindylohs pull her under just to see what that's like, waves hello to the giant squid- and then she is at her destination, cutting the rope and swimming to the surface, eating her sweet and able to breathe air again.

She is second to return after Cedric, still placing her in the lead for the third task- whatever that may be.

* * *

The walk through the maze would be different for Luna, no doubt. Not just because she is different to Harry, or because walls move and things change place, but because there are so many different obstacles in there, it would be a wonder if Lunar reached the same ones Harry did.

Either way- with quite some help from Barty Crouch junior from the sidelines- Luna is first to reach the clearing, hold out her hand for the cup, Cedric not far behind.

When you earlier thought Luna not being as fair as Harry didn't reflect well on her character- well, her lack of Gryffindor fairness is what saves Cedric's life, as Luna grasps the cup immediately upon reaching it.

Cedric, seeing her disappear, casts read sparks into the sky.

There's an uproar as whispers grow louder through the rows of spectators: that a girl disappeared from the maze, unplanned, and the triwizard organisers are trying to keep it quiet. Dumbledore steps onto the pedestal and gives a short, poignant speech- that they do not know what happened exactly, that everyone _please stay calm_, that they will be informed of any news immediately. 

Bagman nearly slaps Dumbledore for such bad publicity. Couldn't the old coot wait until the girl was found? No-one would even have to know! Percy Weasley looks quite disdainful and a little uncomfortable, too. Before either of them can reprimand them, Xenophilius Lovegood runs up to them and demands to know about his daughter's whereabouts. Skeeter let's her quick-quoted quill fly.

Meanwhile, on the Graveyard of little hangleton, Luna is bound to a headstone and Lord Voldemort comes back to life. Which servant is helping him here? Does it matter? He would have found one either way- he's good at persuading people, after all.

Luna doesn't battle Voldemort for long. He imperios her first- no fun at all, bowing to the dark Lord, so she doesn't even waver- crucios her next, then throws her her wand to _fight back, girl!_ And Luna accios the portkey back to her. She knows how such things work, after all, having grown up in the wizarding world all her life.

Back in Hogwarts, her father's hug saves her from Barty Crouch's claws, and yet another servant leaves to join his lord. 

Luna tells everyone who wants to listen or not that Lord Voldemort has returned. It takes a while for anyone to comprehend her words, though.

What she would never tell anyone, even years after the fact, is that before casting that accio, she hesitated for just a split-second. Still in pain from the unforgivable curse, and in the knowledge that Voldemort would kill her if given the chance, she had taken a moment to consider what-ifs. What if she let him kill her... What if she saw her mother again... She had never been suicidal before, but she had always been one to dream.

In the end, she knows she made the right decision in staying alive. There is so much to learn yet, an entire world of knowledge that needs protecting from a war that is yet to start- and like hell is she going to leave the fate of the world in Voldemort- or even Dumbledore's hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 19-10-25  
<strike>There will still be more for that year of course!</strike>
> 
> Year 3 done! Let me know what you think :)


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